Hanoi (VNA) – A shared development vision is an inexhaustible motivation for increasingly deepening cooperation between Vietnam and China, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei stated in an article published on January 19 by the People’s Daily - the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The article spotlighted milestones since the two countries established diplomatic ties 75 years ago, notably the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future as initiated by the two nations’ top leaders.
It stressed that camaraderie plus brotherhood, built and nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong, laid the groundwork for the traditional friendship between Vietnam and China, and grew strongly during Vietnam's struggle for national independence, liberation, and socialism building.
Meanwhile, the Vietnam-China community with a shared future breathes life into the enduring friendship, guiding the two countries toward development and prosperity based on the principles of “joint consultation, joint construction, and joint sharing.”
According to the diplomat, shared ideals and common belief are the fundamental guarantees for the long-term development of bilateral relations. Since its establishment, the Vietnam-China relationship has gone beyond the usual meaning of bilateral relations and has been endowed with a unique political foundation, running through their great missions of Party, military, and national building.
From the revolutionary era of national salvation to the current phase of modernisation and development, the unwavering resolve of the CPC and the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) to pursue happiness for their people and progress for their countries has remained steadfast. Their shared aspiration to safeguard the socialist legacy and their determination to advance the cause of global peace and human progress have not wavered. Like-mindedness and a shared destiny are the most distinctive characteristics of the bilateral relations.
As two emerging market countries that adhere to a people-centred development philosophy and follow development paths suited to their own conditions, Vietnam and China have consistently viewed each other’s development as their own opportunity, the article said, adding that leveraging their geographical advantage of land and sea connection, the two nations have tapped into their complementary industrial potential, forged a win-win cooperative framework, and realised the dual drivers of growth in economy, and trade and investment.
China has remained Vietnam’s largest trading partner for the last two decades, with two-way trade exceeding 260 billion USD in 2024. China continues to lead in terms of the new investment value and the number of projects in Vietnam.
The article noted that the infrastructure connections between the two countries have achieved many notable milestones, with cross-border economic cooperation zones and smart border gates progressing in an orderly manner. Construction of three cross-border standard-gauge railway projects is accelerating, and cooperation in emerging fields such as digital economy and energy transition is also thriving. An increasing number of high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products have entered the Chinese market, earning widespread favour among Chinese consumers.
The ambassador affirmed that the shared cultural heritage is the wellspring of long-lasting harmonious relationship between the two countries. As neighbouring nations with a long shared border and a history of extensive interactions, Vietnam and China have successfully addressed two issues left by history - the delimitation of the land border and the maritime boundary in the Gulf of Tonkin by adhering to the simple and cultural tradition of valuing harmony, working together, and overcoming difficulties. They established an uninterrupted dialogue channel to manage maritime differences, developed a series of model projects like the Ban Gioc (Vietnam) - Detian (China) Waterfall tourism site, and built a shared border of peace, stability, cooperation, and development.
For unresolved issues in bilateral relations, both sides consistently pursue dialogues and negotiations to manage and handle differences, with a stable outlook for the building of a Vietnam – China community with a shared future, he noted.
The 75-year journey has repeatedly proven that peaceful neighborhood has always been the overarching goal and benefit of the bilateral relations. Strong Vietnam-China relations are essential for the steady progress of each country's national development, he said./.
